Saturday, April 25, 2009

VP of Exodus Randy Thomas shows concern over LGBT abuses abroad.

Randy Thomas: Alan posted some links I found for him this afternoon (mostly through Towleroad) to stories about people being killed around the world because they have, or are reported to have same sex attractions.

I literally wept when I read about the anal torture and the young boy who was hanged. … Please pray for those with same sex attraction to be delivered from terror and allowed to live in freedom. I would like for them to know the freedom I know in Christ but I want them to stay alive long enough to get the chance! Please pray for those who are literally in jail and/or being tortured and murdered because of this.

Alan Chambers: Like what is needed with the issue of bullying in the public school, can't a broad coalition of non-like-minded people band together and say, despite our agenda (and we all have one), "violence against people who are different from what is considered normal is wrong and must end." No religious or social cause is promoted, just love and respect for our fellow man.

I lambaste Randy, Alan, Exodus et al, enough and will continue to do so when appropriate. But despite the shortcomings of these posts (no mention of US casualties), I felt their attention to these stories worthy to mention.

Most of these are the stories Randy links to, but I've taken the liberty to give some quotes from each story:

RIO DE JANEIRO, Apr 22 (IPS) - In 2008, 190 homosexuals were killed in Brazil, one every two days, representing a 55 percent increase on the previous year – a veritable "homocaust" according to gay rights activists.

According to the report, Brazil is the regional "champion in homophobic crimes," followed by Mexico, with 35 gay-bashing murders in 2008, and the United States, with 25 such killings last year out of a population that is 100 million people bigger than Brazil’s.

Gay activists believe the campaign emerged as police, militias and tribes took their cue from the clerics. ...But officials in all categories deny that they support the persecution or killing of homosexuals. [sound familiar?]

Iraqi militia have deployed a painful form of torture against homosexuals by closing their anuses using 'Iranian gum.' ... After they glue the anuses of homosexuals, they give them a drink that causes diarrhea. Since the anus is closed, the diarrhea causes death.

Iraqi leaders are accused of turning a blind eye to a spate of murders of homosexuals after 25 young men and boys were killed in recent weeks.

Gay groups claim the Iraqi government is giving tacit support to the death squads targeting young homosexuals who venture outdoors.----------------Re: Iran, Thursday, 6 March 2008A life or death decision

Peter Tatchell, of the gay rights campaign group Outrage "It is just the latest example of the Government putting the aims of cutting asylum numbers before the merits of individual cases. The whole world knows that Iran hangs young, gay men and uses a particularly barbaric method of slow strangulation. In a bid to fulfil its target to cut asylum numbers the Government is prepared to send this young man to his possible death. It is a heartless, cruel mercenary anti-refugee policy."

4 comments:

Oh I’m not giving them a pass. I just found it noteworthy that instead of giving the clichéd “We’re against that” song and dance, Randy expressed genuine concern - at least when it happens in other countries.

As far as I’m concerned, they’re accessories to everything from anti-GLBT hate speech, to hate crimes, to murder. Worst of all, their “change is possible” mantra is intended to imply to the rest of the homo-bigoted world that being GLBT is a choice, thus, unnecessarily increasing the amount of hate speech, crimes, and murders against us.

HiI am working for ORAM (www.oraminternational.org) an organization that assists LGBT refugees in the Middle East. Is there any way to contact you so that we can send you press releases and information about our organization and its activities. If you are interested please contact me at piros@oraminternational.org